Microsoft embraces Xbone name out of disrespect, buys Xbone.com

When Microsoft first announced the Xbox One, people immediately jumped to the nickname of “Xbone.” The gaming audience began to adopt the nickname before all of the draconian policies were officially revealed, so the term came to be simply because it’s a funny and catchy way to shorten the console’s full name. Then, when the draconian policies were made clear, the moniker rang true, in that the Xbox was boned. Now, however, Microsoft officially purchased the domain Xbone.com, securing the last laugh.

Major Nelson, otherwise known as Xbox Live’s Director of Programming Larry Hryb, recently stated on NeoGAF that he isn’t fond of the Xbone name. He feels the nickname disrespects the teams that put thousands of hours of development into the platform. He does admit the name is cheeky (which seems like a compliment in this context), but he doesn’t care for it.

Apparently, Microsoft doesn’t care for it so much that they purchased the domain in order to prevent someone from using it in a clever way. There isn’t any word if Microsoft paid off whoever the previous owner of the domain is in order to secure the address.

At the time of this writing, if you visit Xbone.com it redirects to a Bing search of the phrase “Xbone.” So, though Microsoft doesn’t like the name, the company has officially recognized it and given it life by purchasing the domain, then having it search for the nickname on Microsoft’s search engine. Perhaps the company is planning on using it for something later, but if it dislikes the name, this is certainly a weird strategy to remove it from the public consciousness.